Machine for operating upon shoes



March 18, 1930. A. EPPLER MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filed Dec.22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 18, 1930. A. EPPLER MACHINE FQROPERATING UPON SHOES 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Filed Deb. 22. 1927 Patented Mar.18, 1930 uNrrEa SATES PATENT OFFECE ANDREW EPPLER, F LYNN,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OFPATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY V MACHINE FOROPERATING UPON SHOES Application filed December 22, 1827. Serial No.241,926.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon shoes. Althoughnot necessarily limited thereto the invention is herein illustrated asembodied in a machine for opcrating upon sole margins of stitchdownshoes.

In a stitchdown shoe the upper is turned outwardly at the bottom andlasted to an extension sole, i. e. a sole the margin of which extendsbeyond the edge of the last bottom. An outsole is usually secured to theextension sole by stitches which extend through the sole margins andthrough a welt which overlies the outturned margin of the upper. Usuallythe upper is lined and sometimes the lower margin of the lining isturned inwardly and secured beneath an inner sole. In other instances,no innersole is employed and the lining is turned outwardly with the upper and lasted to the extension sole. This outturned margin of thelining adds to the thickness of the shoe margin but since the lining iscoextensive with the upper, the added thickness at the shoe margin isuniform all around the shoe. However, in addition to the upper and thelining,-t-he upper materials may also comprise a counter or a toestiffener, or both, and usually the lower margins of these parts arealso turned out- 80 wardly between the upper and the extension sole. Thepresence of the outturned margins of the counter and the toe stiffenerbetween the upper and the extension sole produces inequalities in thethickness of the shoe margin making it thicker or heavier around theheel or toe, or both, than at other portions of the shoe. Otherconditions, such for example as the overlapping of portions of theoutturned upper where they are stitched together or seamed, as at thetip line or back seam, may result in producing other areas of increasedthickness along the margin of the shoe bottom.

Any inequalities of marginal thickness, such as those above referred to,are undesirable inasmuch as they detract from the appearance of theshoes and accordingly one object of the present invention is to insure80 that there will be no variation in the thickness of the bottommargins in the finished shoes.

With this object in View, one feature of the invention consists in theprovision, in a machine for operating upon projecting shoe margins whichare thicker at one portion or portions than at other portions of theirlength, of a reducing knife, and co-operating members arranged to engageopposite sides of a projecting shoe margin and feed the margin to theknife, said members being adapted for relative yielding movement toaccommodate variations in the thickness of the margin without varyingthe path of feed of the margin relatively to the knife. 7 The so-calledshoe margin comprises the margin of the extension sole together with theoutturned margins of the upper materials. The upper materials comprisethe upper, and the lining and may include also a counter and a toestiffener and the outturned margins of these parts together constitute asole-attaching flange. In the illustrated machine, a knife is providedfor removing material from the extension sole to compensate forvariations in the thickness of the shoe margin, and provision is madefor measuring the thickness of the shoe margin in a locality, as forexample at the shank where the margin is of minimum thickness, and forinsuring that the rest of the shoe margin will be reduced to thethickness of the measured portion thereof. As shown, the reducing knifeis of' tubular from and means is provided for rotating the knife and forfeeding the work past the knife; the feeding means comprising a drivenupper feed wheel and an idle lower work supporting roll which co-operateto clamp a shoe margin between them and to measure the thickness of themargin at the point first presented to these members. The worksupporting roll is adapted to be lowered by depression of a foot treadleto'facilitate insertion and removal of the work. The work is presentedby the operator with shank portion of the shoe margin in position to beengaged by the feed wheel and the supporting roll. Upon release of thetreadle, after insertion of the work, the work supporting roll is raiseduntil it engages the lower side of the shoe margin, whereupon the rollis locked against further movement either toward or from the feed wheel.Thus the axis of the work supporting roll is fixed relatively to thereducing knife so that when a shoe marginal portion of increasedthickness is fed to the knife the latter will remove material from theshoe margin to compensate for the increased thickness thereof. The upperfeed wheel is arranged to yield vertically to accommodate the variationsin the thickness of the shoe margin.

The illustrated machine is adapted to even a shoe margin either with orwithout beveling the margin. In case it is desired to even the shoemargin by beveling it. so as still further to reduce the thickness ofthe edge of the shoe margin, the feed wheel and the work supporting rollcarriers may be adjusted so that the margin of the sole will hepresented to the knife at a point forward of the vertical axial plane ofthe knife andat an angle to the radius of the knife. Further tofacilitate adjustment of the illustrated machine for beveling a shoemargin, the feed wheel is mounted so that it may readily be removed andre placed by another having a tapering periphery and the work supportingroll is mounted for tilting adjustment to adapt it for use inco-operation with a tapered feed wheel.

lVhen using the machine to even a shoe margin as above described, itwill be evident that the amount removed by the evening means will varyin accordance with variations in the thickness of the margin and t iataccordingly, in some parts of the shoe, the edge of the extension solewill be thicker than in other parts of the shoe, although there will beno variation in the thickness of the sole margin as a whole after it hasbeen operated. upon. In such cases the thicker portions, at least, ofthe extension sole will be visible at the edge of the margin in thefinished shoe. It is sometimes desirable, however, to insure that noportion of the edge of the extension sole shall be visible in thefinished .oe and for this purpose provision is made for beveling themargin of the extension sole to a feather edge all the way around theshoe, irrespective of variations in the combined thickness of themargins of the extension sole and the upper materials. This result may laccomplished, in the illustrated machine, by making the above-mentionedadjustments for adapting the knife to cut at a bevel and, in addition,by removing the locking means as sociated with the work supporting roll,and by utilizing means for locking the feed wheel against upwardmovement. It is to be recognized, therefore, that invention also residesin the provision of a novel organization comprising a rotary skivingknife, and means for supporting the projecting margin at the bottom of astitchdown shoe and feeding it pro gressively past the knife, thesupporting and feeding means being constructed and arranged to presentthe shoe margin in such relation transversely with respect to theskiving knife that the latter will make a bevel out along the shoemargin.

The invention further consists in features of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section of a machineembodying the present invention, the machine being shown as adjusted forevening shoe margins without beveling them;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a stitchdown shoe of a type uponwhich the illustrated machine is designed to operate, showing the shoeas it appears before the outsole and the welt have been applied andillustrating the operation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a stitchdown shoeillustrating the operation of the illustrated machine when adjusted forbeveling the margin of an extension sole:

Fig. 5 is a view of the operating parts of the machine showing the feedmembers adjusted to adapt the machine for beveling a shoe margin; 7

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View, partially broken away, showingparticularly the work supporting roll and the associated mechanism forlooking it against vertical movement Fig. 8 is a detail elevational viewof the lockingpawls shown in Fig. 7, together with the spring fingersconnected therewith; and.

" Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a member employed for the purpose ofadapting the machine for beveling operations.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated machine comprises a head orframe 10 supported by means of a suitable pedestal 12; a horizontal mainshaft 1% ournaled in suitable bearings in the head 10; a. shaft 16 whichbears a driving pulley l8 and is connected with the main shaft 14through intermeshing gears 20 and 22, and a hollow or tubular shiving orreducing knife 24 which is driven from the main shaft let byintermeshing gearing consisting of the gear 22, an idle pinion 26, and apinion 28 rigidly secured to the hub of the tubular knife. The partsabove described have the same construction and arrangement as thecorresponding parts of the inseam trimming machine disclosed in LettersPatent No. 1,226,872, granted May 22, 1917, on my application, andreference may be had to said Letters Patent for a more detaileddescription of these and other parts of the illus trated machine notfully set forth herein.

The illustrated machine is designed to operate upon a stitchdown shoe,after the upper materials have been staple lasted to the extension solebut before the outsole and welt have been applied, to remove materialfrom the margin of the extension sole to compensate for variations inthe combined thickness of the sole and the upper materials or to bevelthe extension sole to a feather edge so that no portion of it will bevisible at the edge of the shoe bottom in the finished shoe. To adaptthe machine for operating upon the margin of the extension sole, worksupporting and feeding mechanism of novel character is employed. Thismechanism comprises an idle roll adapted to support the work byengagement with the outturned margin of the upper, and a driven upperfeed wheel 32 arranged to engage the exposed margin of the extensionsole and to co-operate with the roll 30 in feeding the work.

The work suporting roll 30 is of a frustoconical form enabling it to beprojected into the angle between the outturned margin of the upper andthe side of the shoe so as to afford a firm support or backing for themargin of the extension sole while the latter is being operated upon bythe knife 24. The roll 30 is mounted on a carrier 38 secured by a clampscrew 40 to a block 42 which, in turn, is secured by a screw 44 to theupper end of a post 46. The screw 40 extends through an arcuate slot 48in the carrier 38, this construction permitting tilting adjustment orthe roll to adapt it for supporting thework in different angularpositions of presentment. The roll carrier block 42 is dovetailed to thepost 46 so that the block may be adjusted horizontally for co-operationwith the feed wheel 32 in different positions of adjustment of thelatter. The post 46 is slidable vertically in a guideway formed in abracket 50 secured to the head 10, the post and the guideway beingrectangular in crosssection to prevent turning of the post. A spring 52,secured at one end to the bracket 50 and at the other end to the post46, urges the post upwardly and normally maintains the roll 30 in anupper position determined by the engagement of a stop screw 54 carriedby the post with an abutment 56 formed on the bracket. The approach ofthe roll 30 toward the feed wheel 32 may be varied by adjustment of thestop screw 54.

To facilitate insertion and removal of the work the work supporting roll30 is adapted to be lowered by means of mechanism comprising a rod 60connected at its lower end with a treadle (not shown) and at its upperend with a lever 62 pivoted upon. a fiZiQC stud 64. The lever 62 isconnected with a slide 66 arranged to transmit movement to the post 46.A spring 68 is arranged to pull upwardly on the treadle rod 60 andnormally holds the slide 66 in an idle upper position determined by theengagement of a lug 70 on the slide with a fixed portion of the bracket50. The slide 66 is .adapted to be lowered by depression of the foottreadle into engage-.

ment with a stop screw 72 carried by the post 46, after which furtherdownward movement of the slide 66 causes the post to move downwardly inunison therewith, thus lowering the work supporting roll 30. The screw 72 may be adjusted to compensate for changes in the adjustment of thepost 46 resulting from different settings 01": the screw 54. Uponrelease of the treadle, the work supporting roll is raised by the actionof the spring 52.

WVhen the machine is adjusted for evening operations, the post 46 isnormally locked against either upward or downward movement by the actionof two sets of locking pawls 7 4 and 7 6 (see Figs. 7 and 8). The pawls74 are individually engaged by a series of spring fingers 7 9 and heldin engagement with a series of teeth formed on the post 46. The pawls 76 are similarly acted upon by a series of spring fingers 78 which holdthe pawls in engagement with a second series of teeth 82 on the post 46.The teeth 80 and 82 are made in the form of ratchet teeth and arepitched in opposite directions, the teeth 80 being arranged toco-operate with the pawls 74 to prevent upward movement of the post 46while theteeth 82 are arranged to co-op erate with the pawls 7 6 toprevent downward movement of the post. The pawls of each series 7 4 and76 are arranged one above another in a bearing formed in the bracket 56.In each series, the ends of the pawls are spaced apart a distanceslightly greater than the width of the teeth, the arrangement being suchthat the pawls will function consecutively during movement of the post46 through a distance equal to the width of a single tooth, thusproviding for a fine locking adjustment of the post.

Before the work supporting roll 30 can be lowered, the locking pawls 7 4must be disengaged from the post 46 and in order that the roll 30 cansubsequently be raised the pawls 76 must also be disengaged from thepost. For the purpose of disengaging the pawls so as to unlock the post46 the slide 66 is provided with a reduced portion 84 which extendsthrough notches 86 in the pawls and a cam surface 88 (best shown in Fig.7) formed at the upper end of the reduced portion 84, is arranged toco-operate with the rear edges of the notches 86 to retract the pawlsupon downward movement of the slide 66.

The arrangement of the above-described mechanism is such that upondepression ofthe treadle connected with the rod 60 the slide operatesiirst through the cam surface 88 to unlock the post 46 and thereafter,by engage ment of the slide with the adjustable abutment 72 on the post,to lower the post and the work supporting roll. Upon release of thetreadle the spring 68 raises the slide 66, permitting the spring 52 toraise the .post 46 together with the work supporting roll 30 until thelatter engages the work, after which continued upward movement of thslide 66 moves the reduced portion 84 into the plane of the lockingpawls, permitting the latter to be restored by the spring fingers 78into engagement with the respective teeth upon the post 46, therebylocking the post and the work supporting roll against further verticalmovement.

The feed wheel 32 is provided with a toothed periphery for securingbetter feeding engagement with the work and the teeth extend across theperiphery at such an angle. as shown in Fig. 1, as to tend to preventthe shoe margin from working out from between the feed wheel and thework supporting roll 30. The feed wheel 32 is fast upon a shaft 92journaled in a carrier 94 which is mounted upon the lower portion of aframe 96 which, in turn, is mounted for swinging adjustment about afixed sleeve 98 (Fig. 1) to shift the feed wheel relatively to the knifeso that the latter will operate difi'erently upon the work. The carrier94 is provided with a detachable plate in which is formed a bearing forthe feed wheel shaft 92. This construction enables the feed wheel,together with its shaft 92 to be removed as a unit for r placement by asimilar shaft bearing a tapered feed wheel for use in beveling solemargins as will be hereinafter more fully explained. An arm 100projecting from the upper portion of the frame 96 is secured at itsouter end by means of a screw 102 to a lug 104 carried by the head 10the screw 102 extending through a slot 106 permitting a limited amountof swinging adjustment of the frame 96 for the purpose of varying therelation of the feed wheel 32 to the reducing knife, to adaptthe machinefor reducing a shoe margin either with or without beveling the margin,as will hereinafter be explained. The feed wheel carrier 94 is slidinglyconnected with the frame 96 and is acted upon by a spring 108 whichpermits it to yield to accommodate variations in the thickness of thework, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The carrier 94 is formed with anupwardly projecting sleeve 110 arranged to slide within a bore 112 inthe frame 96. To prevent the carrier 94 from turning relatively to theframe 96 a flat surface 114 on the carrier 94 is arranged to bearagainst a corresponding fiat surface on the frame The spring 108 ishoused within a bore in the carrier 94 and the upper end of the springis engaged by a follower 116 secured to a screw 118 carried by a lug 120on the frame 96, the screw being capable of adjustment to vary thetension of the spring. Normally the feed roll is maintained by thespring 108 in a lower position determined by the engagement of a stopscrew 122 with an abutment 124 on the frame 96. The approach of the feedwheel 32 toward the work supporting roll 30 may be varied by adjustmentof the screw 122.

The feed wheel 32 is driven from the main shaft 14 through the followingconnections. A bevel gear 126 fast on the feed wheel shaft 92 mesheswith a bevel gear 128 secured to the lower end of an upright shaft 130mounted in a bearing in the carrier 94. At its upper end the shaft 130is connected by intermeshing spur gears 132, 134 with a second uprightshaft 136 which is journaled in bearings formed within the sleeve 110and within the frame 96. The shaft 136 is splined to a worm wheel 138which is confined between shoulders formed on the frame 96. Meshing withthe worm wheel is a worm 140 formed on a shaft 142 journaled within thesleeve 98. The shaft 142 carries at one end a bevel gear 144 whichmeshes with a bevel gear 146 fast upon the upper end of an inclinedshaft 148 jourialed in a bearing 150 on the head 10. The shaft 148 isconnected with the main shaft 14 by intermeshing bevel gears 152 and154.

A knife guard 156, secured by a clamp screw 158 (Fig. 6) to the frame96, prevents the hands of the operator from being injured by the knifeand the lower. portion of the guard 156, by engagement with the exposedsurface of the extension sole, holds the latter away from the knifeexcept where it is to be reduced, i. e., along its margin. The screw 158extends through a slot in the guard 156, the slot permitting upward anddownward adjustment of the guard.

When the machine is adjusted as shown in Fig. 1 it is adapted to operateto even the margin at the bottom of a stitchdown shoe which is in thestage of manufacture shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that is, after the uppermaterials have been staple lasted or otherwise secured to the extensionsole but before the outsole and the welt have been applied. In theillustrated shoe, the upper materials comprise an upper U, a lining L, atoe stiffener T, and a counter or counter stiffener C. In these figuresthe extension sole is indicated at E and the toe and counter stiffenersare formed with outturned bottom flanges t and 0, respectively, whichare interposed between the flange a of the upper and the margin of theextension sole. The upper, the lining, and the toe and counterstiffeners constitute the upper materials. The outturned margins orflanges of the toe and counter stiffener-s, together with the margins ofthe extension sole and the upper, constitute the shoe margin which, asshown, varies in thickness in different portions of the shoe because ofthe presence of the flanges of the toe and counter stiffeners. It isthis margin which is to be reduced to uniform thickness by the operationof the machine. he margins of the lit) upper materials are shown asbeing secured to the extension sole by means of staples S.

In operation, the treadle connected with the rod 60 is depressed tolower the work supporting roll 30 so that a shoe margin may be insertedbetween the roll 30 and the feed wheel 32. The depression of the treadleoperates the slide 66 first to retract the locking pawls 74 and releasethe post 46 and thereafter to lower the post 46 and the work supportingroll 30 so as to separate the roll 30 from the feed wheel 32sufliciently to enable the shoe margin to be readily inserted betweenthem. In the illustrated shoe the thinnest portion of the shoe margin isat the shank of the shoe and this portion of the margin is insertedbetween the wheel 32 and the roll 30. The treadle is then releasedallowing the post 46 to be raised by its spring 52 until the roll 30engages the margin at the side adjacent to the upper and holds themargin firmly between the roll and thefeed wheel. The operation measuresthe thickness of the margin at the point engaged by the feed mem bersand determines the thickness to which all thicker portions of the marginare to be re duced. Continued upward movement of the treadle rod underthe influence of the spring 68 raises the slide 66 sufficiently torelease locking pawls 7 4 to the action of their springs 78, causing thepawls to lock the post 46 together with the roll 30 against furtherupward or downward movement. The shoe margin is then fed by the wheel 32and if the feed wheel is adjusted relatively to the vertical plane ofthe axis of the knife, as shown in Fig. 1, no cutting will take placeuntil the point X is reached at which point the shoe margin becomes ofincreased thickness. l/Vhen the point X is reached the feed wheel willyield upwardly, inasmuch as the work supporting roll 30 cannot yielddownwardly, to accommodate the portion of increased thickness and thetoe portion of the shoe margin will be reduced to the thickness of theshank portion thereof, the line of the reducing cut being indicated atYY in Figs. 2' and 3. Corresponding action will take place when thethickened marginal portion at the heel end of the shoe reaches theknife. By turning the stop screw 122the feed wheel may be adjustedvertically relatively to the knife to vary the amount of the thicknessof the material removed by the knife and if desired the adjustment maybe made such that the knife will remove material even from the thinshank portion of the margin. After the evening operation has beencompleted the treadle will be again depressed to lower the Worksupporting roll 30 so that the work may be conveniently removed from themachine.

If it is desired to bevel the shoe margin in the process of evening it,this may be accomplished by adjustment of the feed wheel 32 and the Worksupporting roll 30 so that the shoe margin, instead of being presentedto the cutting edge of the knife at the lowest point in its periphery,will be presented to the knife at a point somewhat forward of itsvertical axial plane and at an oblique angle to the radius of the knife.The above-described forward adjustment of the feed wheel 32 isaccomplished by loosening the screw 102 and swinging the frame 96forwardly about the sleeve 98 the desired amount and thereaftertightening the screw 102. The corresponding forward adjustment of thework supporting roll 30 is effected by sliding the block 42 relativelyto the post 46 after loosening the clamp screw 44. If any substantialdegree of bevel is desired it is preferable to replace the feed wheel 32with. a wheel, such for example as the wheel shown at 160 in Fig. 5,having a tapered periphery and to tilt the feed roll carrier 38 so thatthe transverse elements of the roll 30 at the highest or work engagingportion of the roll will be parallel tothe transverse elements at thelowest portion of the feed wheel 32. The feed wheel 32, together withits shaft 92 and the bevel gear 126, may be readily removed as a unit bfirst removing the detachable plate 95 and the wheel 32 may be replacedby a wheel with a tapering periphery, such as the wheel 160, which, asshown, is also made unitary with its shaft and beveled driving gear.Fig. 5 illustrates the positions of the feed Wheel 32 and Worksupporting roll 30 relatively to the knife after the said wheel and rollhave been adjusted to cause the sole margin to be beveled by the knife.The angle of bevel may be varied within certain limits by swingingadjustment of the frame 92 and by tilting adjustment of the roll carrier38 relatively to the carrier block 42 and without replacement of thefeed wheel. After a change has been made in the tilting adjustment ofthe work supporting roll 30, a corresponding vertical adjustment of theknife guard or gage 156 will adapt the gage properly to aid in guidingand positioning the shoe.

If it is desired to bevel the margin of the extension sole uniformly allthe way around the sole, irrespective of variations in thecombinedthickness of the extension sole and the margins of the upper materialsas, for example, to bevel the extension sole to a feather edgethroughout the length of its margin, it will be necessary to makeadjustments such as those above described and, in addition, provision ismade for locking the feed wheel 32 against upward yielding movement andfor permitting downward yielding movement of the work supporting roll30. The locking of the feed wheel 32 may be effected by removing thespring 103 and inserting a plug, such as that shown at 162 in Fig. 9,between the lug 120 and the top of the feed wheel carrier 94. In orderto make the work supporting roll 30 capable of yielding while the workis being fed, it will only be necessary to remove the locking pawls 74and 7 6. lVith the locking pawls removed the work supporting roll 30will be free to rise or fall to accommodate variations in the thicknessof the work and such variations will then have no effect whatever uponthe action of the knife. As a result the entire margin of the extensionsole will be beveled to a uniform feather edge, irrespective ofvariations in the combined thickness of the extension sole and theoutturned upper materials or sole attaching flange.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States: is:

l. A machine for operating upon a shoe having a projecting shoe margincomprising a sole margin and a sole attaching flange of non-uniformthickness having, in combination, a reducing knife, work feeding meansarranged to support the solemargin, and a feed member for engaging thesole attaching flange and co-operating with said means to feed the workpast the knife to cause the knife to reduce the thickness of the solemargin to compensate for variations in the thickness of the soleattaching flange, said feed member being capable of yielding during thefeeding of the work to accommodate portions of different thickness.

2. A machine for operating upon a shoe having a projecting sole marginand a sole attaching flange of non-uniform thickness having, incombination, means for measuring the combined thickness of said marginalflange 'at one portion of the flange, and means for reducing thethickness of the flange in portions where the combined thickness of saidflange is greater than at the portion where it was measured.

3. In a machine for operating upon shoes, means for measuring thecombined thickness of a portion of the sole margin and the adjacentportion of the sole attaching flange, and means for reducing to saidthickness any portions of said margin and flange the combined thicknessof which exceeds that of said measured portion.

4. In a machine for operating upon shoes, means for measuring thethickness of the thinnest portion of the margin of the shoe, and meansfor reducing the rest of the margin to said thickness.

5. A machine for operating upon a shoe margin having, in combination, anoperating tool, a pair of separable members located in front of the tooland adapted to receive the work between them, means for separating saidmembers to receive the work and for closing them upon the work, andmeans for locking one of said members from movement either toward orfrom the other member after said members have closed upon the work.

6. A machine for operating upon a shoe margin having, in combination, aknife, a feed member and a work supporting member located in front ofthe knife, mechanism for separating said members and for closing themupon the work, and means operated by said mechanism when said membershave closed upon the work for locking one of said members from furthermovement either toward or from the other-member.

7. A machine for operating upon a shoe margin having, in combination, areducing knife, a yieldingly mounted work feeding member, a worksupporting member movable toward and from positions for co-operationwith said feeding member in feeding the work to the knife, mechanism forlocking the work supporting member in said position, andoperator-controlled means for releasing said locking mechanism.

8. A machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes having, in combination,a rotary reducing knife, a yielding feed wheel for engaging the marginof the extension sole, a work supporting roll capable of movement towardand from the feed wheel and arranged to extend into the angle betweenthe outturned margin of the upper and the side of the shoe and toco-operate with the feed Wheel to feed the work, and means for lockingthe work supporting roll against movement toward or from the feed wheel.

9. A machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes having, in combination,a rotary reducing knife, a yielding feed wheel for engaging the marginof the extension sole, a work supporting roll capable of movement towardand from the feed wheel and arranged to extend into the angle betweenthe outturned margin of the upper and the side of the shoe and toco-operate with the feed wheel to feed the work, means includingremovable locking members for preventing movement of the work supportingroll toward or from the feed wheel, and means for locking the feed wheelagainst yielding movement.

10. A machine for operatin upon stitchdown shoes having, in combination,a rotary reducing knife, a yielding feed wheel for engaging the marginof the extension sole, 3 work supporting roll for engaging the outturnedmargin of the upper and co-operating with the feed wheel in feeding thework, means for retracting the work supporting roll from the feed wheel,and means for moving the work supporting roll into position to measurethe thickness of a shoe margin and to co-operate with the feed wnecl infeeding the work.

11. A machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes having, incombination, a rotary reducing knife, a yielding feed wheel for engagingthe margin of the extension sole, a won: supporting roll for engagingthe outturned margin of the upper and co-operating with the feed wheelin feeding the worr, means for retracting the work supporting roll fromthe feed wheel, means for moving the work supporting roll inao positionto measure the th'ckness of a shoe margin and to co-operate with thefeed whee.- ..n feeding the work, means for locking the work supportingroll against downward movement, and means for releasing said lockingmeans.

12. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a reducing knife,and co-operating members arranged to opposite sides of the projectingmargin at the bottom of a shoe and feed said margin to the knife, saidmembers being adapted for relative yielding movement to accommodatevariations in the thickness of the margin without varying the path offeed of said margin relatively to the knife.

13. In a machine for operating upon stitch.- down shoes, a reducingknife, a yielding feed wheel arranged to engage one side of theprojecting margin at the bottom of a shoe, and a non-yielding roll forengag lg the opposite side of said margin and co-operating with saidwheel in feeding the work.

14. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a reducing knife,a driven reed wheel yieldingly mounted and arranged to engage one sideof the projecting margin at the bottom of a shoe, and a non-yieldingidle work supporting roll arranged to engage the other side of saidmargin and cooperate with said wheel in feeding the work to the knife.

15. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a reducing knife,a driven feed wheel yieldingly mounted and arranged to engage one sideof the projecting margin at the bottom of a shoe, a non-yielding idlework supporting roll arranged to engage the other side of said marginand cooperate with said wheel in feeding the work to the knife, meansnormally operative to lock said roll in oo-operative relation to saidfeed wheel, and means for unlocking said roli and retracting it fromsaid feed wheei to facilitate insertion and removal of the work.

16. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a tubular reducingknife, and co-operating rotary feed members arranged to engage oppositesides of the projecting margin at the bottom of a shoe and feed saidmargin to said knife at the lowest point in the periphery of the knife,said feed members being mounted with provision for adjustmenttransversely of the direction of feed to support the shoe margin andfeed it to a portion of the peripheral edge of the knife at one side ofits lowest point so as to enable the knife to bevel said margin.

17. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a reducing knife,a feed member for engaging one side of the project ing margin at thebottom of a shoe and feeding it to said knife, a second feed member forengaging the opposite side of said margin and co-operating with thefirst feed member, a support for the second feed member movable towardand from the knife, means for urging said support toward the knife, atreadle-actuated lever, and connections between said lever and saidsupport for actuating said support including a member mounted withprovision for movement in excess of the movement transmitted to saidsupport, and a device for locking said support arranged to be renderedinoperative by the excess movement of said member in one direction andto be rendered operative by the excess movement of said member in theopposite direction.

18. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, reducing means forremoving material from one side of the projecting margin at the bottomof a shoe, a yieldingly mounted feed member for engaging the side ofsaid margin which is operated upon by said reducing means, a supportmovable toward and from said feed member for engaging the opposite sideof said margin and cooperating with said feed member in feeding he work,means normally operative to lock said support against movement, atreadleoperated member, connections between said member and said supportfor moving said support toward and from said feed member, and meansactuated by said connections for unlocking said support to enable it tobe moved away from said feed member and for locking said support afterit has been moved intoengagement with the work.

19. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a yielding upperfeed member, lower feed member capable of being locked against movementtoward or from the upper feed member and arranged to cooperate with theupper feed member to feed the projecting margin at the bottom of a shoe,and a reducing knife for operating upon the side of said margin engagedby the upper feed member. 9

20. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, reducing knife,separable feed members for engaging opposite sides of the projectingmargin at the bottom of a shoe, means for locking one of the feedmembers against movement away from the other feed member, anoperatoncontrolled lever, means operated by the lever during itsmovement in one direction for rendering the locking means ineffective,and means operating during movement of the lever in another direction torender the locking means effective.

21. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a reducing knife,a yielding upper feed member, a lower feed member capable of movementtoward and from the upper feed member and adapted to co-operate with theupper feed member to feed to said knife the projecting margin at thebottom of a shoe, means for raising and lowering the lower feed member,means for locking the lower feed member against further upward ordownward movement after its upward movement has been arrested byengagement with a shoe margin introduced between said feed member, andmeans for releasing the locking means to permit downward movement of thelower feed member to facilitate removal of the work.

22. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a rotary tubularknife for reducing the margin of the extension sole of a stitchdownshoe, a feed wheel for engaging the margin of the extension sole, meansfor driving the knife and the feed wheel, a feed roll for engaging theoutturned margin of the upper and cooperating with said feed wheel infeeding the shoe, an operator-con trolled lever, connections betweensaid lever and said feed roll for retracting the feed roll from workengaging position when the lever is moved in one direction, means forreturning the feed roll into work engaging position when said lever ismoved in the opposite direction, means for locking the feed roll againstfurther movement toward or from the feed wheel after the feed roll hasengaged the work, means operated by said lever during its movement inthe first direction for rendering said locking means ineffective, andmeans operating during the movement of the lever in the second directionto render said locking means efiective again.

23. In a machine for operating upon a piece of work, a rotary tubularreducing knife, co-operating rotary members adapted to support the workand feed it to the knife in such relation to the knife that the knifewill reduce the thickness of the work without beveling it, and meansincluding a driving worm and a driven worm wheel for rotating one ofsaid members, said last-named member and said worm wheel beingadjustable about the axis of said worm to position that member to feedthe work to the knife in such relation thereto that the knife will bevelthe work.

24. In a machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes, a rotary tubularreducing knife, means for feeding the projecting margin at the bottom ofa shoe to the knife, and a guard for the knife arranged to cover all buta comparatively small portion of the cutting edge of the knife andshaped to engage the bottom of the shoe to prevent the knife fromcutting the bottom of the shoe except along the margin thereof andadaped also to guide the shoe as it is fed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ANDREW EPPLER.

